Defentect Teams With San Diego State University, Axis Communications, OnSSI For Radiation Detection System

Feb 20, 2009

Defentect recently announced that it has entered a joint operational agreement with San Diego State University's Homeland Security Program and its Immersive Visualization Center (SDSU Viz Center) to establish a permanent gamma radiation detection perimeter system.

The program demonstrates best practices and solutions to deter, detect and defend against the illicit transport of radiological materials, which are the core components of dirty bombs. The research demonstration will also help develop techniques for using radiation to assist with numerous Homeland Security and business applications such as moving cargo across borders, oceans, and airways in secure and innovative ways.

The San Diego State University's Viz Center is involved with testing and displaying cutting-edge technology to protect the region, the nation, and the world against terrorism. It is frequented by organizations interested in increasing the safety of their assets and employees. Viz Center visitors often consist of state, county and local officials; national and international agencies including the Department of Homeland Security; and private-sector groups representing hospitals, municipalities, storage facilities, transportation facilities and waste management companies.

According to Joey Dusina, Defentect's vice president of Sales, the agreement establishes the San Diego Viz Center location for participants to demonstrate the efficacy of integrating various levels of Defentect's radiation detection solutions into existing security detection systems to affected industries such as hospitals, hotels, government agencies and businesses.

"This agreement provides Defentect and its partners with a publicly accessible demonstration of the state of radiation security technology," Dusina said. "This live demo helps people relate the solution to a real-life situation. It takes the hypothetical out of the equation, making it a reality-based scenario. This is something previously missing from most people's understanding of both the threat and its assessment."

"People can visit the Viz Center's courtyard and experience firsthand the efficiency of the gamma radiation detection system via Defentect's monitoring software,” said Dr. Eric Frost, founder and co-director of SDSU Viz Center, and co-director of the homeland security master's degree program at the university. “This program is one more way Viz Center is working to evaluate and enhance tools and technologies to help both public and private entities deal with potential hazards with accuracy and speed -- important in the face of mounting and unseen threats."